One of the most exciting signings of the season could be handed the chance to formally introduce himself to British football on Saturday.

Five months after Manchester City stumped up £27million for his services, Brazilian hotshot Gabriel Jesus is hoping to be named in Pep Guardiola's matchday squad for the game at home to Tottenham – provided some troublesome paperwork is sorted out in time.

The Premier League has not always been a fruitful stomping ground for Brazilian players, of course. For every Juninho, there has been an Afonso Alves; for every Gilberto Silva, a Paulinho. Yet the success stories are becoming more and more frequent: Willian, David Luiz, Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino and Fernandinho have all thrived in the last few seasons.

Those players, admittedly, did not come directly from Brazil, but via other European clubs. But if Gabriel Jesus can settle and live up to his colossal potential, other clubs will be tempted to dip into the Brazilian market in search of rough diamonds.

Tche Tche (Palmeiras)

Tche Tche (Image: Getty Images)

Position: Pretty much anywhere

Age: 24

Gabriel Jesus may have scooped the Bola de Ouro award for the player of 2016 in Brazil, but it would not be unreasonable to claim that Tche Tche was the most vital cog in Palmeiras' title-winning side. Unknown at the start of the year, he became the versatile joker in Cuca's pack after swapping a pioneering Audax side for the Allianz Parque in April.

In the opening weeks of the Serie A campaign, he would appear on pre-match tactics diagrams as a right-back, but routinely made a mockery of that definition, helping out in midfield and frequently popping up on the left wing. As the season wore on and other teams got wise to Palmeiras' gameplan, his role became more conventional, but his influence over matches never waned.

To call a footballer an 'all-rounder' is often to damn him or her with faint praise, but not in Tche Tche's case. His energy, intelligence and bright-eyed sense of adventure make him so much more than a mere utility man.

William (Internacional)

William (Image: Getty Images)

Position: Right-back

Age: 21

It was, in most respects, a year to forget for Internacional. After burning through four managers in five months, the Porto Alegre giants were relegated for the first time in their history in December – but not before their vice president had by sparked widespread outrage by comparing their battle against the drop with the Chapecoense air tragedy.

If there was one silver lining, it was the continued progress of youngster William, one of the few players to emerge from their horror campaign with any credit at all. The Pelotas-born defender caught the eye with his snappy tackling and attacking ability: he is a confident dribbler and usually delivers quality from the byline (only four players in the whole league put in more accurate crosses in 2017). Those skills, coupled with the poor displays of certain team-mates, saw him used as a winger on a few occasions.

Vitor Bueno (Santos)

Vitor Bueno (Image: Getty Images)

Position: Winger/attacking midfield

Age: 22

Playmaker Lucas Lima is very much Santos' prize asset, but when he and Gabriel Barbosa were off playing for Brazil in the middle part of 2016, it was a fresh-faced upstart who single-handedly kept the seasiders in the title race. Step forward Vitor Bueno, a player every bit as sweet as his Kinder namesake.

The 22-year-old made his name as a central attacking midfielder for Botafogo-SP and was expected to provide back-up for Lima in his second season with Santos. But he broke into Dorival Junior's starting XI in a wider role, sacrificing time on the ball for greater attacking responsibilities. It paid off handsomely: Bueno finished the season with 10 goals to his name and a trophy for Revelation of the Year.

A good decision-maker on the ball and a dynamic runner off it, he is a constant threat in the final third. But he won't come cheap: his release clause stands at €50million and his value is only likely to increase if he continues in the same vein.

Jorge (Flamengo)

Jorge (Image: Getty Images)

Position: Left-back

Age: 20

It's not beyond the realm of possibility that Gabriel Jesus could soon be joined by a familiar face at the Etihad. For reports in Brazil last year credited Manchester City with interest in Flamengo starlet Jorge – a player who could definitely help fill the decent-left-back-shaped hole in their squad.

The defender began to make an impression in 2015, shining for Brazil at the U20 World Cup and beginning to break into the Fla first team under Vanderlei Luxemburgo. But 2016 was his breakout year: Jorge seized a starting berth by force and never let it go, impressing with his defensive nous and well-timed raids down the flank.

Former Flamengo and Brazil left-back Junior is among those to have sung the player's praises in recent months. "What impresses me most is the personality he displays," he said. "He plays for the seniors like he did for the youth team. He knows the position and covers with precision." The Flamengo fans have been similarly bowled over; they have lovingly christened the 20-year-old Jorge Alba.

Gustavo Scarpa (Fluminense)

Gustavo Scarpa (Image: Getty Images)

Position: Midfield

Age: 23

What impresses most about Fluminense's Gustavo Scarpa isn't his dead-ball prowess (although, make no mistake, he's pretty special from set pieces) or his eye for goal. It's his versatility and his clear willingness to take responsibility wherever he's stationed on the pitch.

In his early outings for the Rio giants, Scarpa often played at left-back. Since then, he's played in central midfield, as a playmaker and out wide – all with some distinction. In 2016, he inherited Flu's number 10 jersey and repaid the faith with a series of busy, creative performances, even as the Tricolor struggled for form.

Likened to a young Roberto Rivellino by ex-Flu star Paulo Cezar Caju ("He even has the same little moustache!"), he's unlikely to remain at Laranjeiras for too much longer: Brazilian champions Palmeiras have been sniffing around and they're unlikely to be the only ones monitoring his progress.